Rachael Wardell, President of the ADCS, said:

“Every child and young person deserves the foundations of a safe, warm, and stable home, financial security, and good health, both physical and mental. But sadly, that’s just not the reality for too many children growing up in this country.

“Children and families continue to face significant and growing challenges, and we need a child-first approach to national policymaking.

“As these shocking figures suggest, we need to shift both focus and funding toward early help and prevention for children and families, rather than just responding once they’re already in crisis.

“Funding for children’s social care services should reflect actual level of need – but while demand continues to rise, our budgets just aren’t keeping up.

“The Government has a real opportunity here to create the conditions for success, but any reform needs to be backed by sufficient resources and capacity for local authorities to deliver, in the best interest of every child and their families.”

ENDS